The
junction of a roof surface with a wall, or any other structural feature,
which arises above it.

Barge
Board

A board
fixed along the edge of a gable.

Batten

Horizontal
small section timbers that are nailed to the rafters and to which
tiles/slates are secured.

Back
Gutter

A
gutter formed in lead at the back of a chimney, or any other structure, which
penetrates the roof to disperse water onto tiles/slates.

Cold
Roof

A roof
that has insulation laid horizontally at ceiling level and a void between the
insulation and its outer roof structure and covering.

Course

A
horizontal row of tiles or slates.

Dormer

Framed
window unit, which projects through the sloping plane of a roof.

Down
Pipe

Pipe
which takes water away from guttering to drains.

Eaves

The
horizontal, lower edge of a sloped roof - where the first course of
tiles/slates are laid on the fascia board.

Fascia
Board

The
horizontal timber trim attached vertically at the eaves that covers the
rafter ends, the wall plate or the wall face – the guttering is fixed to this
and upon which the first course of tiles/slates are laid.

Felt/Underlay

Untearable
bituminous or PVC sheet material, supplied in rolls and laid over rafters.

Flashing

Strip
of lead, used at abutments, to stop water penetration. The ‘Code’ of lead
means the thickness.

Gable

The
upper portion of a sidewall, which comes to a triangular point at the ridge
of a sloping roof.

Gauge

The
length of tile/slate exposed after it has been installed. It equals the
distance between the top of one batten and the top of the next.

Gutter

The
trough that channels water from the eaves to the down pipes.

Headlap

The
amount by which a tile/slate overlaps the course below it.

Hip

The
meeting of two pitched roof surfaces, which meet at an external angle.

Hip
Iron

A metal
hook, which is secured to the roof structure to support the hip tiles and
stop them from slipping.

Mortar

Sand
& cement mix consisting of 3 parts sand to1 part cement.

Parapet

Low
protective wall that extends above the roofline for support.

Pitch

Also
known as ‘slope’ , is the measure of how steep a roof is. The pitch of a roof
is a big factor in determining the kinds of materials that can be used and
the longevity of the roof. Usually, a steeper roof will last longer due to
its better draining capabilities.

Purling

Main
structural roof support timber: usually situated half way up the roof span:
to which rafters are nailed.

Rafter

The
supporting framing timber, sloping from ridge to wall plate.

Raking
Cut

A
diagonal cut across courses of tiles/slates.

Ridge

The
uppermost horizontal junction of two slopes forming the apex of a pitched roof.